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AFRICMIL Urges Police to End Attacks on Journalists Amid #EndBadGovernance Protests
The African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) has expressed grave concern over the recent assaults on journalists reporting on the #EndBadGovernance protests taking place in various regions of the country.
The organization has urged Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, along with other security agencies, to uphold their duty of maintaining law and order while respecting citizens’ rights.
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent address aimed at addressing the situation, the protests, which began on August 1, 2024, persist in several states across the nation.
In a statement released on Monday, AFRICMIL’s coordinator, Dr. Chido Onumah, condemned the violence perpetrated by police officers against journalists and other citizens. The group emphasized that such actions violate the constitutional right to freedom of assembly and expression.
The statement underscored that the Nigerian Constitution (1999), specifically Chapter 4, Section 39 (1), guarantees every individual’s right to freedom of expression, which includes the freedom to hold opinions, receive information, and disseminate ideas without undue interference.
Attacking journalists who are merely performing their professional duties, and brutalizing citizens for exercising their right to protest, constitutes a severe breach of this constitutional guarantee.
AFRICMIL highlighted that the #EndBadGovernance protests did not arise spontaneously. They are a direct response to the severe economic hardship inflicted upon Nigerians due to poorly executed policies, extravagant government spending, and mismanagement of the economy.
The protests are a reaction to the government’s abrupt and poorly planned removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, which have led to significant increases in the cost of goods and services.
This economic strain has been compounded by what the group describes as the government’s insensitive spending on non-essential items, such as a new residence for the Vice President and luxury vehicles for lawmakers.
Given the severe impact of these policies and the lack of measures to mitigate their adverse effects, it is understandable why citizens have taken to the streets to express their grievances through the #EndBadGovernance protests.
AFRICMIL asserts that the police have no justification for attacking journalists covering these events or for using violence against peaceful protesters.
The organization has reiterated its call for the Inspector General of Police to address the misconduct of his officers and to immediately cease all forms of harassment against journalists performing their roles.
AFRICMIL stresses that protecting the rights of journalists and protesters is crucial for upholding democratic principles and ensuring that citizens can voice their concerns without fear of retribution.
A teenage girl, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the PEFTI Centre after allegedly being forced to remove her hijab before sitting for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The suit was filed by her mother and legal representative, Basirat Ojo, who spoke to journalists in Abuja about the distressing incident. Ojo explained that on April 25, 2025, at the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, her daughter was told she could not take the exam unless she removed her hijab, which she wears as a religious obligation. Ojo described the experience as humiliating and emotionally distressing for her daughter, adding that it was a clear violation of her rights.
The lawsuit is seeking a public apology from both JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two national newspapers. Additionally, it calls for compensation for the rights violation and a court ruling that any policy requiring female candidates to remove their hijabs is unconstitutional.
Lawal’s lawyer, Qousim Opakunle, emphasized that the case is based on constitutional rights. He argued that the directive violated Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, especially for minors who are vulnerable to such injustices.
Many Nigerians are expressing deep concern over the poor performance recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), following the release of the results by JAMB on Friday. Social media has since been flooded with reactions from worried parents, students, and education stakeholders, many of whom believe the scores don’t reflect the true efforts of the candidates.
One user, Oluwaseun, took to X to voice his frustration, sharing a screenshot of a student named Egbaze Victoria who allegedly scored 295 in last year’s UTME but shockingly got 132 this year. “Something is seriously wrong with these results,” he wrote. “These scores don’t reflect the abilities or track records of these students.”
Another user, Chukwuma Pius, also shared his frustration, claiming JAMB sent his daughter a result that doesn’t belong to her. “This is heartbreaking,” he said. “As a retired teacher, I know what she’s capable of. The result they sent cannot be hers.”
These complaints come after JAMB disclosed that over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200 this year, sparking widespread calls for an investigation into the entire process. Reacting to the controversy, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi described the outcome of this year’s UTME as worrisome and emphasized the need for urgent reforms in the education sector.
JAMB has officially released the results for the 2025 UTME, but not without controversy. According to the board, results of 39,834 candidates have been withheld over suspected exam malpractices.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the announcement at the board’s headquarters in Bwari, explaining that investigations are ongoing. He also revealed that around 80 individuals are currently under scrutiny for various exam-related offences, with Anambra State topping the list of those being investigated.
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